NTAC & Soft Power: Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) is being praised as an “image rebuild” tool, with claims that over 10,000 Nigerian professionals have been deployed to 40+ countries since 1987, including engineering, health, ICT and education volunteers returning from service in Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau. Climate & Malaria: A new Nature study says climate change is “moving” malaria risk: childhood malaria may rise in southern and East Africa by 2050 while falling in today’s hottest hotspots as conditions become too extreme for mosquitoes. U.S. Visa Bond Policy: The U.S. has made its visa bond requirement permanent for B1/B2 applicants from 50 countries (30+ African), with bonds up to $20,000 at consular discretion, refundable if rules are followed. Digital Sovereignty (PKI): Côte d’Ivoire launched a national public key infrastructure (PKI) to secure electronic transactions with a domestic trust anchor, reducing reliance on foreign certificate authorities. Regional Security (ECOWAS): ECOWAS leaders reaffirmed plans to tackle insecurity, with Nigeria’s Tinubu meeting Guinea-Bissau’s Umaro Embalo and others to review political and security transitions. Banking Watch: Zenith Bank’s 2026 performance is highlighted as it expands across Africa, with strong profit growth and capital buffers cited.